Stepped shaft and method of making the same



A ril 14, 1936. H. c. LAGERBLADE 2,037,636

STEPPED SHAFT AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed March 28, 1932 INVE TOR Hews 27%; 405

Paanaa A' it, i 36 PATENT OFFICE STEPPED SHAFT AND METHQD OI" Herbert G.

l MAKING THE SAME Lagerblade, Bristol, Conn., assignor to The Horton Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Connecticut Application March 28,

28 Claims.

My invention relates to stepped shafts and methods of making the same.

It has heretofore. been proposed to provide stepped shafts for golf clubs'or the like having a series of steps along their length spacedapart by cylindrical sections in such manner as to form a stepped shaft of successively reduced diameter toward its lower end. As a result of the cylindrical-sections, all of the reduction in diameter has occurred in the steps in such manner as to produce relatively abrupt shoulders tending to weaken the metal, or to require, in an effort to.

eliminate these, the provision of a multiplicity of steps and short cylindrical sections covering the' exposed portion of the shaft, which unduly increase the cost of the shaft. In making these stepped shafts, it has also been the practice to draw the steps and cylindrical portions from a cylindrical tube of uniform diameter in such manner as to require a different reduction in diameter from the uniform diameter of the cylindrical tube for each step and cylindrical portion toward the head and severe operations on the metal which reach a maximum at the cylindrical section 01 smallest diameter and concentrate all of the reduction in each stepped section in the step thereof.

My invention has among its objects to provide an improved stepped shaft wherein, as a result of improved uniformly tapered sections between the several steps, and a new distribution of the reduction in shaft diameter between these improved sections and'the improved shallow. steps made possible thereby, both the abrupt shoulders and the multiplicity of sections may be eliminated, at the same time that a one-piece, stepped shaft is Produced which is free from liability to fracture at the steps, and which, while requiring fewer steps, further, has a more uniform change in deflection and also a more attractive appearance. A further object of my invention is to provide an improved method of making such stepped shafts whereby both drawing and all severe operations on the metal and'the concentration of the reduction in the steps, maybe eliminated, at the same time that the improved shaft set forth above may be very economically and readily produced. These and other objects and advantages of my improvements will, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown for pin-poses of illustration, one embodiment which my improved shaft may assume in practice, 5 and haveialso illustrated one form which my 1932, Serial No. 601,535

improved method of making the same may ,assumo in practice.

In these drawings,-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a club embodying a shaft of my improved construction, the 5 illustration of the shaft, however, being diagrammatic in view of the small size 01' th illustration;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the tapered sections of the improved shaft with the steps and adjacent tapered sections also shown at opposite ends thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional detail through one of the steps;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation partially in section of a tapered blank or tube formed as the first step in my improved method of making the shaft;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the step of forming a step and adjacent tapered section in my swedging die, the latter being shown in longitudinal section;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the latter die as seen from the right hand end of Figure 5, and

Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the same as seen from the left hand end of Figure 5.

In Figures 1, 2 and 3, it will be noted that I have shown a golf club having a handle I and head 2 and a shaft, generally indicated at 3, tapering toward the head and comprising a plurality of tapered sections 4 between the handle carrying portion 5 thereof and the head carrying section 6, while integral section-connecting steps 1 are provided atthe opposite ends of each of the tapered sections 4.

Referring more particularly to the tapered sections 4, it will be noted that each of these sections, as shown, is uniformly tapered toward its lower end, as shown in Figure 2, which shows one section 4 between its two adjacent steps and sections 4. The handle section 5 is also preferably uniformly tapered, and herein also tapered more abruptly than the sections 4, while the section 6 is also preferably uniformly tapered. Thus, it will be noted that the several sections 4, and also the end sections 5 and 6, unite to effect a reduction in diameter toward the lower end of the shaft in such manner as to eliminate need for concentrating all of the reduction in diamete in the several steps 1.

While not limited thereto, the several tapered sections 4 are herein of substantially uniform length, in such manner that, with these sections also uniformly tapered, they are adapted to cooperate with uniform steps I to produce a onepiece shaft of uniform deflection, i. e. free from v abrupt changes in deflection characteristic of prior shafts. It will also be noted that, while likewise not limited to use in the particular number illustrated, the length of the several sections 4 and the taper thereof are such as to permit a. relatively small number of sections and steps, herein five sections and four steps, to be required. Attention is here also directed to the fact that, preferably, the handle carrying portion 5 and head carrying section 6 are also both uniformly tapered and substantially'longer than the sections 4. It will also be noted that herein the handle portion 5 is more abruptly tapered than the section 6, and that the section 6 has the same taper as the sections 4, although obviously the head carrying extremity of the section 6 may have any standard taper thereon. It will also be observed that herein the section 6 is substantially shorter than the handle portion 5, and that the exposed portion of this section 6 above the hosel is of substantially the same length as the sections 4.

As regards the steps 1, it will be noted that these are uniform and that each of these, as a result of the co-operation of the new tapered sections 4 formed integral therewith, is so shallow as to eliminate any need for a severe swedging operation tending to weaken the shaft at that point and consequently to render the shaft moreliable to fracture at the step. As shown, each step is such as to effect a substantially greater reduction than either of its adjacent tapered sections 4, but it will be evident that the proportionate part of the reduction included in each step and its adjacent tapered sections may be varied depending on the reduction desired, the number and length of the steps, etc. It will also be noted that, as shown in Figure 3, the cross section of the metal in each step is quite uniform, and that this cross section is further substantially the same as the cross section of the metal in. the remainder of the shaft. From the above it will be evident that the structure of the steps is such as to minimize any tendency of the shaft to fracture at the steps while producing a more uniform variation in deflection.

While it will be evident that my improved shaft may be embodied in shafts having a greater or smaller number of sections 4 and steps 1, and that accordingly the taper of the several sections 4, 5 and 6, and the amount of reduction in the several sections and steps may be varied, I find that effective results are obtained-in the illustrative construction by the use of a. handle section 5 having a taper of .007 per inch, steps 1 effecting a reduction of .022, and sections 4 and 6 having a taper of .003 per inch. Thus, in the illustrative construction, there is a total difference in diameter of .015 in each tapered section 4, in addition to the reduction of .022 in each step I, or a total difference in diameter of '.037 between the lower ends of adjacent sections 4. Thus, as compared with the previous constructions, wherein the total reduction of .037 would have occurred in each step, it will-be evident that the severity of the operation of the metal required at the step is very substantially reduced, at the same time that it is for the first time made possible to produce the advantageous result of distributing a part of each reduction uniformly throughout the length of each section 4 and also uniformly throughout the length of the active portion of the shaft, in the several uniformly tapered sections 4 and. 6.

Obviously, if desired, the metal used in the shaft may be of various compositions and. thicknesses usual in such shafts. However, I prefer to utilize a relatively thin metal of any composition common in the shaft art and also adapted to be swedged. Preferably also, while not limited thereto, I prefer a metal of uniform thickness throughout the effective length of shaft, as for example, a sheet metal blank made in accordance with the teachings of the patents to Emmet et al No. 1,543,497 and 1,550,153 and the Lagerblade Patent No. 1,783,802, and, in the formation of the shaft, also prefer to keep the metal of this substantially uniform thickness in the finished shaft, as a very satisfactory shaft is thereby produced. Further, the elimination of all drawing operations makes it possible to produce a stepped shaft without materially altering the fibrous structure of the blank from which it is formed, as distinguished from the drastic displacement of the metal of the blank inherent in repeated severe drawing operations, during which the fibrous structure of the shaft is not only greatly stretched but, in order to maintain a uniform wall thickness, the metal must be actually displaced, particularly toward the head end of the shaft. Thus it will be noted that in the prior drawn shafts the metal of the shaft is most severely stretched and weakened at the smalldiameter, or head, end of the shaft Where weakening is least desirable. whereas the shaft of the present invention has a uniform, unstretched fibrous structure throughout the length of any stepped portion of the shaft. Thus, for example, by using a tapered blank of sheet metal the fibrous structure characteristic of sheet metal can be preserved in the completed shaft free from stresses inherently resulting from drawing operations, with the surface structure of the sheet metal blank also substantially unaltered in the completed stepped shaft, prior to any finishing operations on the same. It will, of course, also be evident that my invention, in certain of its phases, is equally well adapted for use in connection with welded seam shafts or seamless shafts and for use on clubs having heads of any desired type.

As regards the method of making my improved shaft, it will also be noted that I make the same by an improved method. As compared with starting with the blank of uniform diameter throughout its length, previously used in making swedged or drawn stepped shafts, I first form a uniformly tapered blank. such, for example, as shown at 8 in Figure 4, and which decreases in diameter toward the head. While not limited thereto, the same, in the illustrative construction, has a uniform taper of approximately .007 to the inch. As the next step in the formation of the complete shaft shown in Figure 1, this uniformly tapered blank 8 is swedged in swedging dies 9 and ID in such manner as simultaneously to form tapered section 4 and adjacent steps I. In the form of my method illustrated, the several tapered sections with their upper steps are successively formed. one section and step at a time, in a series of dies 9, ID of different sizes. Herein, each of these dies has corresponding die portions ll adapted to form its particular tapered section 4, and also tapered portions l2 at one end, of greater diameter and extending over the end of the next larger section 4 or 5. as the case may be, while each also is provided between its portions I l and I2 with an annular portion 13 adapted to form its particular step 1. Thus it will be evident that each tapered section 4 below its step I is formed simultaneously with the step and without disduce the strain on the metal. Thus by my first step of forming a tapered blank, as distinguished from a blank of uniform cross section, the amount of reduction required to'be subsequently effectedin the section and step forming operation, is

materially reduced. It will further be noted that the amount of subsequent reduction required is enabled to be uniform throughout the several sections. Moreover, as a result of uniformly tapering'the sections 4 and distributing the reduction in the shaft diameter between the adjacent sections 4 andstep 1, not only is the reduction required in each step 1 substantially reduced, but

. uniform stepped sections are produced. Thus,

the results are such as to produce a shaft in which there is not only a minimum tendency to fracture, but also a more uniform deflection, while the shaft also requires only a minimum number of steps to effect the desired reduction in diameter. By reason of the fact that all drawing operations are eliminated, and the fibrous structure of the blank is not materially alteredduring stepping, it is also possible to use steels which cannot be drawn in the prior drawing processes, thus making possible a shaft having improved resilient characteristics. It will also be evident that as a result of my improved methodpf making the shaft, the shaft may be very readily and inexpensively produced with a. small number of dies required and a small number of operations, while, if compound dies are used, only one such set of dies and one operation will be required.

The word tapered as used herein in describing the shaft of the present invention is intended to include any shaft having an uninterrupted decrease in diameter in the same direction along the major portion of its length, in other words, a reduction in diameter always toward the same end of the shaft, and is not limited to the more narrow interpretation sometimes given the word requiring that the reduction be regular, or of uniform degree, throughout the length of the body, or that the taper must extend'to either extremity of the shaft, it being understood that although the handle and head carrying sections 5 and 6, while preferably tapered, as previously stated, to conform to the general taper of the intermediate tapered portion of the shaft, need not necessarily be tapered.

While I have in this application specifically described one form which my shaft may assume in practice, and one embodiment in which my improved method of making the same may be practiced, it will be understood that these forms of both of the'same have been chosen for illustrative purposes, and that the invention may be modified and embodied in other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

l. A stepped shaft for golf clubs or the like having an integral tapered body including an intermediate portion swedged between relatively laterally movable dies and having a step reducing the cross section of said portion.

2. A stepped shaft for golf clubs or the like having an integral taperedbody including an intermediate stepped portion compressed between and having a step reducing the crosssection of said portion and also having a fibrous structure substantially free from longitudinal stretched fibers throughout said stepped portion.

4. A stepped shaft for golf clubs or the like of sheet metal including a hollow'lntegral tapered .body including an; intermediate stepped portion compressed between dies having a relative lateral movement and of substantially uniform wallthickness having a step and also a substantially uniform fibrous structure substantially free from longitudinally stretched fibers throughout said stepped portion.

5. A stepped shaft for golf clubs or the like having a hollow, integral tapered body including an intermediate portion swedged between relatively laterally movable dies and said portion having a pair of spaced steps and a tapered section connecting said pair of steps.

6. A stepped shaft for golf clubs or the like of sheet metal and having an integral tapered tubular body including an intermediate stepped portion compressed between dies having a relative lateral movement and having a plurality of spaced steps and a tapered section connecting each pair of adjacent steps, the sheet metal thereof having a substantially uniform fibrous structure throughout the stepped portion of the shaft.

7. A stepped shaft for golf clubs or the like of sheet metal and-having an integral tapered tubular' body including an intermediate stepped portion compressed between dies having a relative lateral movement and having a plurality of spaced steps and'a tapered section connecting each pair of adjacent steps and also having walls of substantially uniform thickness and substantially uniform fibrous structure- 8. A stepped shaft. for golf clubs or the like of sheet metal and having an integral tapered tubular body including an intermediate stepped portion compressed between dies having a relative lateral movement and having a plurality of spaced steps and a. tapered section connecting each pair of adjacent steps and also having walls of substantially uniform thickness and substantially uniform fibrous structure and substantially free from longitudinally stretched fibers.

9. A stepped shaft for golf clubs or the like having an integral tapering sheet metal body including an intermediate stepped portion compressed between dies having a relative lateral movement and having a plurality of longitudinally spaced steps and tapered sections between and integral with the steps reducing the shaft diameter in the same direction as the steps, said steps and sections having a substantially uniform wall thickness throughout the stepped portion of said body and the sheet metal body retaining substantially the original fibrous structure of the sheet metal and being substantially free from longitudinally stretched fibers.

10. The stepsin making a stepped section in a stepped metal shaft for golf clubs or the like which consist in, forming a hollow tapered blank, and stepping the same to form an integral tapered stepped section of substantially uniform wall thickness throughout while distributing the total desired reduction in diameter between the step and an adjacent integral section by incorporating part of said reduction in one and part in the other.

11. The step in making a stepped shaft for golf clubs or the 1: ke which consists in, swedging a step into a tapered blank while compressing the latter between dies movable laterally relative to one another.

12. The step in making a stepped shaft for golf clubs or the like which consists in, stepping a blank while compressing the same between dies having a relative lateral movement and maintaining in the stepped shaft the original fibrous structure of the blank substantially free from longitudinal stretching.

13. The step in making stepped golf shafts or the like from a tapered blank which consists in, forming a shallow step in the tapered blank and further tapering a tapered section adjacent the same while retaining substantially unaltered the original fibrous structure of the blank throughout the step and tapered section.

14. The method of making stepped golf shafts or the like which consists in, forming an unstepped tapered blank,,and forming a step in the blank intermediate its ends while retapering the adjacent tapered portions above and below the step and maintaining the fibrous structure of the blank substantially unaltered.

15. The method of making an integral tapered stepped shaft for golf clubs or the like which consists in, simultaneously reducing the shaft diameter by compressing the same between dies having a relative lateral movement while forming a shallow step and an adjacent integral tapered section and distributing the desired reduction in diameter between said step and section.

16. The method of forming tapered stepped shafts for golf clubs or the like which consists in, forming a uniformly tapered blank, and subsequently providing a series of connected tapered portions thereon while stepping the blank.

1'7. The method of forming stepped shafts for golf clubs or the like which consists in, forming a tapered blank, and subsequently providing a series of connected tapered portions thereon by stepping the blank.

18. The method of making stepped shafts for golf clubs or the like which consists in, forming a uniformly tapered blank, and subsequently stepping the same while retapering the tapered portion between adjacent steps.

19. The method of making stepped shafts for golf clubs or the like which consists in, forming a uniformly tapered blank, and subsequently shallow stepping the same while more abruptly tapering a tapered portion adjacent the step.

20. The method of making stepped shafts for golf clubs which consists in, forming a substantially uniformly tapered blank, and pressing the same to form a step in the blank intermediate the ends thereof connecting adjacent tapered sections and reducing the cross section of the blank in the direction of its taper.

21. The method of making stepped shafts for golf clubs or the like which consists in, forming a tapered blank, and swedging the same between laterally movable swedging dies to form a step in the blank intermediate the ends thereof and connecting adjacent tapered sections.

22. The method of making stepped shafts for golf clubs which consists in, forming a uniformly tapered blank, and pressing the same to form a step in the blank intermediate the ends thereof reducing the cross section of the blank in the direction of its taper.

23. The method of making stepped shafts for golf clubs or the like which consists in, forming a hollow tapered blank of uniform wall thickness throughout its length, and pressing the same to form therein intermediate steps and tapered portions adjacent the steps while maintaining the wall thickness substantially unaltered.

24. The method of making golf shafts or the like which consists in, forming a tapered sheet metal blank, and pressing the same without substantial longitudinal deformation of the blank to step the blank while altering the taper of the blank and completing the formation of said shaft.

25. The method of making golf shafts or the like which consists in, forming a tapered hollow sheet metal blank, and pressing the same to step the blank while completing the formation of the shaft.

26. The method of making golf shafts or the like which consists in, forming a hollow tapered blank of substantially uniform wall thickness, and pressing the blank to step the same and complete the formation of the shaft while maintaining said wall thickness substantially uniform.

27. The method of forming stepped shafts for golf clubs or the like which consists in, forming a uniformly tapered blank, and subsequently uniformly stepping the same into a series of tapered sections of equal length extending between the handle and head carrying portions thereof.

28. The method of forming stepped shafts for golf clubs or the like which consists in, forming a tapered blank, and subsequently shallow stepping the same to form longitudinally spaced steps having tapered sections adjacent each step.

HERBERT C. LAGERBLADE.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,057,636. April 14, 1956.

HERBERT c. I.AGERBLADE.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, first column, line 23, after the word "head" insert a comma; page 2, first column, line 66, for "of" read on; and second column, line 14, after the period and before "Further" insert the words and period By the process herein disclosed,

it is possible to produce a tapered stepped shaft from a blank having uniform wall thickness without materially altering the thickness of the shaft wall throughout its length, as distinguished from the inherent thickening of the walls inevitable as a result of forming the steps by repeated drawing operations, as generally practiced in the art. and line 61, for "section" read sections; page 5, first column, line 12, after "Thus" insert a comma; and second'column, line 16, claim 3, for "longitudinal" read longitudinally; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 19th day of May, A. D. 1936.

Leslie Frazer Acting'Commission er of Patents. 

